Gokelman and Kauffman Winners of Mass Setting Competition

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David Kauffman, NPM President J. Michael McMahon and William Gokelman

William Gokelman and David Kauffman of San Antonio, Texas, were selected as the first place winners of a new Mass setting competition sponsored by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM). The selection of the winner was determined by ratings of participants in the NPM National Convention held from July 12 to 16 in Detroit, Michigan.

NPM invited composers to create musical settings of the new English translation of the Mass that is expected to be implemented late in 2011. From more than 150 entries that were submitted, a panel of five judges selected four finalists to be rated by convention participants.

Gokelman and Kauffman’s composition, entitled Messa Rinnovare: Mass of Renewal, may be sung with various combinations of instruments, including guitar, piano, organ, brass, and even full orchestra. It may be sung simply by a congregation alone or with the participation of a four-part choir.

The other finalists for the NPM Mass setting competition were J. Christopher Pardini of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (second place); William Glenn Osborne of Orlando, Florida (third place); and Thomas J. Fielding of Raleigh, North Carolina (fourth place).

The Association’s top honors this year were presented at the annual Pastoral Musicians Breakfast on the third day of the convention. More than $30,000 in scholarships was also presented to eighteen women and men pursuing graduate and undergraduate study in liturgical music and related fields.

The Jubilate Deo Award was given to Sister Kathleen Hughes, RSCJ, for her leadership, scholarship, teaching, and advocacy in the movement for liturgical renewal. Sister Kathleen recently completed her term as provincial of the Religious of the Sacred Heart after serving as Associate Professor of Liturgy and Academic Dean at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

Bob Hurd was honored as Pastoral Musician of the Year for creating musical compositions that have helped American Catholics to pray in a variety of languages and musical styles, reflecting the ever-expanding rich cultural diversity of the Church in the United States.

Other honorees at the convention included Father Edward Hislop of Missoula, Montana, as Outstanding Pastor; Sr. Sheila Browne, RSM, of Rockville Centre, New York, as Outstanding NPM Chapter Leader; Mr. Michael Wustrow, also of Rockville Centre, as Outstanding Director of Music Ministries; and Mr. Martin Marklin of Marklin Candle Design for his creative contributions as an industry partner with musicians and other pastoral ministers.

More than 2,100 people gathered for the NPM National Convention. The convention theme, “Hope and Harmony,” was reflected in the various addresses, musical events, and liturgies of the week. The week-long gathering concluded on a note of joyful confidence as convention participants joined in a thunderous rendition of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.